Richard W. Claypool

    Richard W. Claypool, grain dealer, was born in Fountain County, Indiana, March 12, 1831, and is one of nine children who lived to years of maturity, and eight of whom are yet living, born to Wilson and Sarah (Evans) Claypool, natives of Ohio. they emigrated to Fountain County, Indiana in 1824. Mr. Claypool died on the land he first entered in July, 1876, but Mrs. Claypool yet resides on this place, and in the house, which has been remodeled, where all her children were born.

    Abraham Claypool, grandfather of Richard W., moved from Randolph County, Virginia, to Ohio, in 1778, for the purpose of freeing his slaves, as he was radically opposed to the institution of slavery.

    Richard W. Claypool lived to manhood in his native county. In 1852, he came to Williamsport and embarked in the dry goods trade, but, in 1854, discontinued that and moved to Ludlow, Champaign, County, Illinois, and took charge of the Illinois Central Railroad Depot. He soon purchased a farm, improved it, and, in December, 1861, came back to Williamsport, where he and a brother looked after the general interests of the family while four brothers were in the war. Mr. Claypool practiced law for some time in Williamsport, but for the past seven years has been dealing in grain. during his diversified business career, he has accumulated comfortable surroundings. He yet owns his farm of 320 acres in Illinois, besides his town property in Williamsport.

    He is an independent Democrat, a Mason, and is the father of nine children. He was married in January, 1855, to Eliza T. Pearson, and the names of his children are as follows: Evans, Robert, Horace, Rollin, Lorenzo (deceased), Elizabeth, Jessie, Frederick and Mabel.

Source: Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and Newton, Indiana. Historical and Biographical. F.A. Battey & Co., 1883.